Do you have an idea for a project to tackle poverty & inequalities in our community. Your idea could get up to £10,000 funding. The community will decide!! Applications start on Monday 3rd December. Can you make a difference!!

Your VOICE YOUR CHOICE 2 is the second Participatory Budgeting (PB) initiative by the Musselburgh Area Partnership. PB is all about community projects where the community will decide which projects get funded. Check the link for more information.

]]>Carers – make sure you get the money that you are entitled tohttps://musselburghcab.org.uk/carers-make-sure-you-get-the-money-that-you-are-entitled-to/
Wed, 24 Oct 2018 11:12:07 +0000https://musselburghcab.org.uk/?p=3856The Scottish Government has introduced a new benefit – Carer’s Allowance Supplement. This is extra money on top of Carer’s Allowance from the DWP in recognition of the contribution of carers.

This first payments of Carer’s Allowance Supplement – which are being made through a new public service called Social Security Scotland – are coming to a close. Payments started in September and approximately 75,000 have now been made. The final more complex payments are in the process of being completed and all carers should receive their payments by Monday 15 October.

In instances where the carer has passed away, we seek to make the payment to the next of kin. In these cases timescales for payment will be dependent on identifying this person and making arrangements for the payment to be made.

If you are a carer who lives in Scotland and was getting Carer’s Allowance from the DWP on Monday 16 April 2018, you should have had a letter followed by a payment of £221 in the same way that you receive your Carer’s Allowance. If you have not had a letter and a payment, Social Security Scotland are keen to hear from you so that they can make sure that you get this money that you are entitled to. The fastest way to notify Social Security Scotland is by freephone 0800 182 2222. You can give your details to Social Security Scotland who will work with the DWP to investigate and process your payment. The next Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be paid to everyone who was getting Carer’s Allowance from the DWP on Monday 15 October. These payments will be paid in batches in December.

A few weeks ago we launched a survey asking local people to tell us their views and experience of putting food on the table for themselves and their family. The survey covers the cost of food, but also issues like choice and availability.

We are doing this because we know from our casework that lots of people in East Lothian are finding it hard to afford the basics and with the cost of food continuing to rise, this is only going to get worse. The CAB network is running this survey across Scotland and I want to make sure that the voice of people in in East Lothian is heard loud and clear. But there’s only a few days left so please make sure you have your say before the survey closes at the end of today

If you have anything you want to say about food, this is your opportunity. We know that in the coming months there will a lot of focus on improving the food landscape in Scotland. Our CAB is determined to make sure the voice of our local community is heard and represented in these discussions. The survey only takes a few minutes and can be found here or come into Musselburgh CAB and pick up a paper copy. But don’t miss your chance to have your say!